An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/baar

by Friedrich Kluge

baar, adjective, from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German bar (nominative Middle High German barer, barwer, Old High German barêr), adjective, ‘naked, bare, denuded, free, empty.’ It corresponds to Old Saxon bar, Anglo-Saxon bœr, English bare, Old Icelandic berr, ‘naked, bare'; Gothic *baza- is wanting. The r of the non-Gothic dialects is an old s (not r) as is proved by the affinity to Old Slovenian bosŭ, Lithuanian basas, ‘bare-footed,’ which, as well as the Teutonic adjectives, point to an Aryan bhosó-s, ‘denuded’ (with regard to the antiquity of this idea see nackt). Compare also Armenian bok, ‘naked,’ which is based upon bhosko-; besides, English bald (Middle English balled) points to a Gothic participle *bazlôþs (Anglo-Saxon *bœllod). Perhaps entbehren is also connected with the root bhes. Compare further barsch.